A method of searching for the presence of a useful signal of predefined spectral width ΔB in a multiplexing band having a spectral width greater than ΔB, includes calculating a frequency signal representative of a power spectral density in the multiplexing band, calculating a non-useful signal by filtering the frequency signal by means of a filter capable of suppressing all or part of signals having a spectral width equal to or smaller than ΔB, calculating a power ratio signal representative of the ratio of the frequency signal to the non-useful signal, and comparing the power ratio signal with a predefined threshold value. The method may be employed using a computer program product, a receiver unit, and/or a station of a digital telecommunications system comprising such a receiver unit.